Hold Me Together
by KaunisEnkeliMann
Summary: Max is finally falling apart, and she needs someone to let in. When she turns to Fang, things turn from just having a confident to more romantic. Rated M for later chapters. Please Review
1. Falling Apart

AN: Disclaimer before I even start. I do not own Maximum Ride or any of the charecters or scenes taken from the books which belong to James Patterson. OK, on with the story.

Max's POV

It was six in the morning, and the flock was already up and going. As usual, I was the last one to get out of bed lately. With a sigh, I got out of bed and stepped into the hallway just in time to catch Gazzy and Iggy chasing after Nudge.

"What the heck or you kids doing?" I screamed as I barely evgeded getting run over by Angel as she chased the boys after Nudge.

"Nudge pulled a prank on the boys and then they started chasing her and she asked me to help her, so I am," Angel replied with an innocent smile.

I heaved another sigh and looked at the little girl in front of me that had just turned 10. "Angel, darling, sit down and stop chasing the boys. Where is Fang?"

"He is still in his room. The two of you are the last to get up this morning," she smiled softly and almost evily.

"Thank you, Ang," I said as I walked off to get Fang up.

_ Knock. Knock. Knock. _"Fang! Get up!" I called. There was no reply. _Bang. Bang. Bang. _"FANG, IF YOU DON"T GET UP AND HELP ME WITH THESE KIDS, I AM GOING TO COME IN THERE AND DRAG YOUR ASS OUT OF BED AND LET THEM ATTACK YOU," I screamed at the closed door.

Ten seconds later, the door opened and there stood a very disheveled looking Fang. "I'm sorry that I was sleeping in. I should have been up to watch them. How bad is the house?"

"Don't even go there. I am the mother figure. I am supposed to be up with them. I slept in, too. Just please help me. They are running around like wild animals," I replied softly.

"Max, go get some rest. You have been so stressed lately. What time did you actually go to bed last night?" Fang said softly.

"It doesn't matter, Fang. I have to be up and ready to deal with the kids. I can't leave you to fend for yourself and for them. Fang, I have to be here for all of you. I have to be up and running," I responded with tears in my eyes.

"Come here," he mummered, pulling me close. I let my head fall against his shoulder as the tears started to fall.

"I'm sixteen, Fang. I am tired. I am stressed. And yet, I can't just take a break and stay in bed. I have to take care of the kids. I have to," I said quietly as I layed my head on his shoulder and felt the tears start to pour down my cheeks.

"Max, I am here for you. Sit on the bed. I will be right back," he said softly as he unwrapped his arms from around me and stepped towards the door.

I walked over and sat on his ruffeled bed and let the tears continue to fall. My emotions crashed around me like waves against the shore during a storm. There was no controlling their effects. I was terrified. It was the first time that I had ever admittied to needing help with anything, and Fang was the only one that I could go to with any of it. True, Iggy was the same age, but Iggy was like my son. Fang was my rock. He was my best friend, my right-wing man, the only person that knew that I had weaknesses. Fang was the only person that knew I was scared. And having him know, it scared me to death.


	2. Opening Up and Letting Him In

Fang's POV

Max came to my room banging on the door to wake me up. I was just turning over, and I was only in my boxers, so I couldn't exactly go straight to the door. By the time I had found my pants, she was threatening to break my door down. So, I flung the door open, and there stood the most beautiful girl in the world. Her hair was a tangled mess and she was in a pair of sweats and a tank top, but she was still the girl that made my heart race. Of course, she does not have any idea that I think that. To her, I am just another member of the flock and I don't want to make her uncomfortable. She means too much to me.

Then Max did something that shocked me even more; she started crying. My beautiful, strong Max was crying. I took her into my arms and listened as she told me that she was tired and stressed but still had to care for everone else. It was then that I realized that she really needed someone to help her. She was falling apart and trying so hard to hide it. So, I told her to sit on my bed and went to deal with the kids. There was no telling what they had done that morning to upset Max so much.

"Angel! Nudge! Gazzy! Iggy! Get in here, NOW!" I called as I stepped into the livingroom, which looked like Ig and Gazzy had let off a bomb in it.

"Good morning, Fang," Angel said sweetly.

"Morning, Ang. Why don't you tell me what you kids did to set Max on a war path this morning?" I replied.

"Well, she got up and the boys were chasing Nudge. I was trying to help Nudge, so I was chasing the boys. We almost ran over her and she got mad. Then, she asked where you were," Angel said softly, looking a little guilty.

I sighed. "Why did you kids have to misbehave this morning? Max has been really stressed lately, and she could use a day off. But, she won't take one. Could you four please at least try to behave for her?"

"Sure, Fang," Angel said softly.

"I'm so so so so sorry that I started all of this! It is all my fault. I should never have pulled that prank on the boys this morning. Now, I made Max mad and she won't be happy today and then she will yell at me when I ask her if we can go shopping. So, maybe I shouldn't ask about shopping today," Nudge rammbled on until Iggy covered her mouth.

"No problem. We will behave to the best of our ability," Ig said and then walked with Nudge to the kitchen where he started cooking.

"Fine," Gaz said with a slight pout.

"I will keep him busy," Angel said with a smile as she took her older brother's hand and led him off towards the door.

With the kids busy, I went back to the beautiful girl sitting in my room who needed me. She was the most important thing on the planet to me at that moment.

Max's POV

I was shaking and crying. I couldn't breathe. It was the first time anything like that had ever happened to me, and I was getting more and more scared. There was a part of me that knew I needed to let someone in, and that was why I was still sitting on Fang's bed. It was time to stop hiding from everyone.

About the time I realized that I could actually open up to him, Fang walked through the door. I was almost ashamed of how I must look hugging myself as if it was the only thing keeping my body from falling apart. It definately did not help that I truly felt that way.

He sat beside me and let his arms go around me, pulling me close. My head gently laid against his shoulder and the tears continued to fall. There was nothing that I could say to explain why I was breaking down. It had just been such a long few months. I felt alone and lost. I knew that I should try to put the strong face back on, but I just couldn't. Fang was actually there for me. I felt like I could actually trust him. So, I actually opened my mouth and told him what was wrong.

"Max, talk to me. Please," he pleaded with me.

"I am just so frustrated. I feel like I am losing my mind. I need to be strong, but I am having a hard time holding it together. I need someone. Fang, I need you," I broke down crying even more.

"I am here for you, Max. I am here. You are so strong. You hold yourself together so well. You are everyone's rock. You can't be invinsible though. You are such a beautiful, sweet, amazing girl. Let me help you," he said softly.

"Thank you. That means a lot to me," I said as I tilted my head up and looked into his eyes and felt myself calm just a little.


	3. Realiziation

Max's POV

As my emotions began to calm, I realized how much Fang really did not know. There were so many things that I bottled up in myself, and I was so scared to let them out. Things were done to me at the School that no one knows about. It was horrible. I can't get it out of my head. But, sitting in Fang's arms, I felt safe again. It was a feeling that I had become so unaccustumbed to that it was almost frightening.

His arms tightened around me, responding to the tension that had suddenly sprung into my body when I had begun to relive my past. I knew he would notice, but I mentally begged for him not to say anything about it. There were just some things that I was not ready to open up about. Not even to Fang. I trusted him, but he would never look at me the same if I told him what I had let them do to me. There had been nothing that I could do, but I still felt responsible.

"Max, you can tell me anything. I am here for you. But, come to me when you are ready, not just because I ask," he said softly and let his lips touch my forhead.

"I want to tell you, but I can't yet. Fang, there are things that happened that no one knows but me. I want to let you in, but I am so scared to tell you," I said softly with a tear forming in my eyes.

He pulled me closer and touched his lips to my forehead. "Max, I am here when you are ready," he whispered softly. Something in me told me that he did not just mean to talk.

I pulled closer to him. "Thank you. And one day, I will be able to tell you. I will let you in. You are my rock," I said softly.

He gently kissed my forehead and looked into my eyes. "It will all be OK, Max. It will all be ok," he whispered softly.

I felt the tears start rolling down my face again as I realized that he meant that. He actually wanted to make everything ok. With that knowledge, I could let myself relax a little.

"I will tell you when we are both ready. But right now, we need to go check on the kids," I said as my usual need to take care of the kids kicked in.

"Still so worried about everyone else. That is one of the things that makes you such an amazing girl," he laughed softly and stood with me. For a moment, he held my hand in his. That was when I felt it. The first burst of electricity. The first sign that, maybe, there was more between him and me than that old brother-sister that we had clung to so much.

Fang's POV

I saw the look in her eyes when I took her hand. She felt the same electricity that I did from the touch. I could tell that she did not know how to deal with it. So, as much as it hurt me, I took my hand away and let her walk out of the room in front of me. With a small sigh, I closed the door and followed the girl that I was sure I was in love with down the stairs to the kitchen. How was I going to help her and hide how I felt?

Then, I realized the answer was simple. I couldn't hide how I felt forever. Making her ok was more important first, but I would tell her how I felt.


	4. Max Blushing?

Max's POV

My insides were churning. Why did electricity shoot through me when Fang grabbed my hand. It was not like it was the first time he had every touched me. I was trying to figure out the logical explination for such a happening, but there was nothing coming to mind. The only thing that wouldmake sense was that I had a stronger, deeper connection with Fang, and that just was not possible. He was my best friend and my protector. He was the one person that I could go to no matter what. But, I couldn't love Fang. Right?

With a start I realized that I did. Oh God! How was I going to hide this? How was I going to fix this? But, maybe I didn't have to fix it. What if he felt the same way? But, I couldn't ask. There was no way I was going there. What if he didn't? Grr, so much stress.

I tried to take a breath and look back at Fang, but when I caught his eyes, I felt my face turning red. Wait... Maximum Ride blushing? THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN! I am not that girl. How could I be that girl?

He looked at me curiously, and I quickly snapped my head back around in a final attempt to hide my emotion.I knew he had seen, Fang always saw, but there was no way I was admiting it to myself. I was too well gaurded to let this happen. But, even the strongest of us fall eventually.

Fang's POV

I saw the light blush covering her cheeks as she glanced back at me and caught my eyes. I was tempted to ask Angel to look into her mind, but Max would never forgive me if I did. I could not risk having her angry at me. She would tell me how she felt when she was ready. I would know the reason for the blush when the time was right.

She was so beautiful. I was struggling not to grab her and kiss her right then, but I would not risk that. She wasn't ready. I could see that myself. It would take time for her to open up and let herself feel anything. There was something holding her back; I could feel it.

I could wait to do anything with her until she handled whatever it was that she was hiding. There was a part of me that knew it was something that would change everything when she let it out, but I also knew that it was something I could handle. I could handle anything for her. I would kill for her, die for her, give everything up for her. I would travel the world and to the ends of the universe for Max. I truly loved her. The hardest thing to do for her was wait and not tell her until she was ready. But, I could do that too... Or at least I could try.


	5. Kisses

Max's POV

A week went by with us casting small glances at each other from time to time, but no words about our emotions was spoken between the two of us. That was until I caught him looking at me as I slipped into the pool one night. He was at his window, watching as I flew out to the rock that held all of my even though I knew he was watching, I broke down.

Looking at the sky, I began to cry. "Why do I love him? I can't love him! It isn't right. What if something goes wrong and we end it? What will happen to us and the Flock? Why does it have to be so complicated?" I screamed at the sky. I didn't expect answers. but when I turned I got them.

Fang's POV

I heard Max screaming at the sky from my window, and I knew it was time to talk to her. My Max. My beautiful Max. She was out there trying to fingure put what she felt for me, and I knew that I could not pass up the one opprotunity to let her know how I felt. So, I flew out to the rock.

Standing there in the pale light of the moon, she looked like a goddess. I couldn't help the small gasp that slipped from my lips. And of course, she heard it. When she turned, I saw the shock in her eyes as she stumbled to explain what she had said.

"Max," I whispered into the night air that hung between us, "I love you so much. Not as a sister, Not just as a friend. But I really love you."

?Fang," she started to say, but I cut her off and surprised both of us. I gently brought my lips to hers and kissed her. It was timid and scared, and I espected her to push me away and scream at me. But, she didn't. Instead, she let her arm slip around my neck and kissed me back. She tasted like tears and fear. She tasted of strawberries and cherries with chocolate and coffee. There was not a trace of lip gloss on her lips, and I liked it. Her lips were soft and sweet. I let out a soft moan and she pulled back to look at me.

"Fang," she whispered, "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Max," I said and took her into my arms. "We can do this. Nothing bad will happen. I will always ne here for you and I will always love you. Please believe that."

"I do believe you. We will make this work," she said quietly. And then she smiled.


	6. Secret

**Author's Note: I am sorry it took so long for me to get the previous chapter in. I have neem crazy buzy with school. It has been killing me to not be able to get this story out for my readers and for the sake of my mind. I am going to try to get another chapter up by the end of the week. Thank you for your patience.**

Max's POV

The kiss was burning in my mind as I leaned against him. I felt truly happy and safe there in his arms. I knew that he would never hurt me. I was safe with him. But I had to tell him about what had happened before. He would never push for it, but he had to know. So, I looked up at him and relived ,y most horrifying memory.

"Fang, there is something I have to tell you," I whispered without meeting his eyes.

"What is it, beautiful? Are you O.K?" he asked quietly, trying to see my eyes.

"I have to tell you something about what happened while we were at the school. It was when I was fourteen. Ari..." I stopped as a tear fell down my cheek.

"Shhh," he whispered. "I am here. Talk to me, Max."

After I took a deep breathe, I continued. "I was strapped to one of the tables. It was dark, and Ari was standing over me. I was naked. He had stripped me down already without me realizing what was happening. I felt the coldness of the metal table on my bare skin. I tried to focus on the cold as he began touching me. But, he didn't like that. He slapped me and went from touching me to stripping down himself and climbing on top of me. It hurt so much. Sometimes I still have nightmares about it. I am terrified of him coming back. He swore that he would. He said he would do it again. Fang, I am scared," I said with tears running down my cheeks and the memory replaying in my head.

He pulled me closer and kissed my head. "I will never let him near you. I will kill him first, Max. You are safe now. I love you so much. I really do."

"I love you too, baby. And to let you know, this is not going to effect how we are together. We are going to be together in every way. My past will not stop me from having a future."

Fang's POV

I wanted to kill him. I wanted to go hunt down Ari and kill him. He had hurt my Max and taken away her innocence without her promission. I was furious, but more than anything I wanted to take care of my Max. And there was something shocking in the way that she was so sure that it would not effect us together. It made me love her more that she had been open with me.

I kissed her hair and looked into her eyes and saw how much had been hidden there. I could see how much it relieved her to have someone else know her secret.

"I won't tell anyone, Max. I know that it took a lot to tell me. And, I will wait for everything until you are ready. I am here for you. You are my everything. Maximum Ride, I love you," I said softly and held her very close to me as she cried.

"I love you too, Fang. You make me feel safe and calm. I am yours and I need you. Thank you, my love."


End file.
